Conservatives Hope Not in Presidential Election But In Grassroots Movement

Like most of you I have become totally frustrated and agitated as I have watched the presidential debates and campaign. I have been alarmed with both the increased deceitfulness of the candidates and the naiveté of the electorate. The honest, real conservative candidates can never make it into the top tier because the dishonest ones, with the backing of the media, can convince the public they walk their talk - which is nothing but lies.

As we in Arkansas, who know Mike Huckabee so well, watch him deceive the evangelicals and conservatives with one false assertion after another about his convictions and policy, it makes many of us even more cynical because we wonder if all the other candidates are just as dishonest as he. It appears that the candidates who are best at bewitching the public will be the winners. (See list of articles below for the basis of this assertion about Huckabee)

Tonight I am wondering if Huckabee and Hillary get the nomination, just which one can deceive the most voters. I wouldn't give Huckabee a chance other than the fact that he equals the Clintons in that ability to deceive. It is truly an alarming experience just to watch him at work and see him using his religion and the Southern Baptist organization as a basis for his deception. Numerous people will be disillusioned and turned off religion by these tactics.

I have concluded there is not one of the top four Republican candidates that would not shift the Party to the left, leaving the conservatives with no party to support. Even worse, each candidate would bring more disillusionment both to the public and Republicans, as their true colors are revealed in office.

But then I was encouraged as I thought about the hope that we conservatives still have that somewhat transcends the parties and the political corruption. I remember what happened with the illegal alien amnesty bill and how the grassroots fought back and WON. Every Republican candidate soft on illegal aliens ran from their former stands and became blatantly dishonest in trying to convince the public that they were always tough on illegals and wanted no part of amnesty.

This is our hope – grassroots effort. We can do it again and again and again. The computer has helped us tremendously in this effort. We can now be alerted hourly by grassroots organizations (which are already operating full force). No Party or President can stop us if we will just continue to act as we did on that issue.

Last year I came to the conclusion that in Arkansas conservatives would never succeed on the issues through elections, but we could win through ballot initiatives. In my frustration with the national election I had forgotten that lesson and about the power of the grassroots. Initiatives and grassroots efforts on issues transcends politics to a great degree and are far less susceptible to lies because people are in touch with the reality of how those issues are affecting their lives.

So even though I will still spend some of my time and energy working in the political election arena, I will spend a greater amount of my time on issues and grassroots efforts.

Following are links to articles that I have written in the past and articles by other people that reveal why I am so disappointed in Huckabee and why I believe he is no conservative. Those written by me will have a http://www.wpaag.org/ address. Huckabee's win as governor was one of the most exciting events of my life, but the way he has governed has been one of the greatest disappointments and surprises of my life. He corresponded with me on educational issues before he became governor; I was on his education transition team when he became Governor; and I even went to the Governor's office and worked with a member of his staff on educational issues a few times.

I finally had to recognize that he had totally deceived me and other conservatives and was pushing Hillary's educational plans faster than Hillary could do so herself - because he was a Republican. In fact, Arkansas has increased in government control in education more rapidly in the last few years than any state in the nation.

Arkansas Editorial Says Mike Huckabee Is Closest of all Candidates to Hillary (Compiles a number of issues and includes links to many original articles)A liberal journalist in Arkansas said, "As it happens, Huckabee governs about as Clinton governed, and Boozman [Huckabee's appointee] directs the state Health Department about as Dr. Joycelyn Elders directed it, save the brutal and over-the-top rhetoric... http://www.wpaag.org/Huckabee%20-%20closest%20to%20Hillary%20of%20all%20candidates.htm

Huckabee retreats on birthright citizenship (promises Gilchrist that Mr. Gilchrist said Mr. Huckabee promised to bring a test case to the Supreme Court to challenge the matter [to stop of anchor babies from becoming citizens], and also would press Congress to pass an amendment to the Constitution. Huckabee now denies that. http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080109/NATION/992492919/1001

Breath-Taking News From the Governor(A better title might be "Breath-taking incompetence from the governor) Huckabee is surprised and shocked when he learns that the remediation rate in Arkansas is 42% and the national remediation rate is $28% after billions of dollars he has put into education the last 10 years.) Note: that the graduation rate dropped 10% in Arkansas at the end of Huckabee's ten year control.http://www.wpaag.org/Eduation%20-%20Remediation%20rate%20startles%20Gov%20Huckabee.htm

Governor Huckabee's Arkansas Nominee Ray Simon for USDOE Bad ChoiceNominee Urges Government Takeover Of Education (Details Huckabee and his Arkansas Education Director's government takeover of education in Arkansas. Governor Huckabee completed the educational reforms that Hillary began in Arkansas much more quickly and full than she could have herself. People did not expect this from a Republican and were not alert. )http://www.wpaag.org/Simon%20Appointment%20Cause%20for%20Concern.htm